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Urgent Action Needed

Posted about 11 years ago by Hollie Crutchfield

Everyone,

We need all practicing NP's to send just a quick email today to as many senators and representatives that you can to help support our bill for prescriptive priviledges. We are having some negative feedback but when reading the info from these groups, their information they are presenting is not entirely correct. Please feel free to call me or Nancy Turnham for further questions. Thanks everyone!

Contact the Health Committee Members ASAP!

PLEASE ACT NOW!!!! CONTACT THE SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES ON THE HEALTH COMMITTEE AND LET THEM KNOW YOU SUPPORT SB 229 and HB 307!!!To the Membership of NPAA: On February 19, 2013, two bills were introduced in the Alabama Legislature–SB229 sponsored by Senators Greg Reed, Del Marsh and Jabo Waggoner and HB307–sponsored by Representatives Greg Wren and Ron Johnson (both bills may be found here by scrolling to the bottom and entering the terms "SB229" or "HB307" in the box on the left and hit find instruments button.

These bills allow for certified registered nurse practitioners (CRNPs) to apply for a certificate to allow them to prescribe schedules III-V medications. If this legislation passes, the certificate authorizing CRNPs to prescribe controlled substances will be granted by the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners (the same entity that issues controlled substance certificates for physicians and physician’s assistants). Additionally, there is a provision in the legislation that will allow CRNPs to seek approval to prescribe Schedule II drugs at sometime in the future without additional legislative efforts. The BME has recognized the importance of this section particularly as it relates to nurses that provide hospice care and nurses who work with the field of mental health.

With the passage of these bills, Schedules III-V medications are expected to begin being prescribed by CRNPs within the next year.

To be eligible to apply for Schedules III-V prescriptive authority, a CRNP must:
  1. Practice pursuant to protocols and in collaboration with a physician
  2. Have 12 months of active clinical practice with a collaborating physician; and
  3. Have completed required courses on pharmacology and prescribing standards.

Other important components of the bill include the following:

  1. The CRNP license and ALL discipline will remain under the authority of the Alabama Board of Nursing.
     
  2. Any investigation related to a report of misuse of prescribing of controlled substances will conducted by the Board of Medical Examiners AT NO COST TO THE CRNP. All findings by the BME related to any investigation will forwarded to the ABN for discipline. Again, the expense of the investigation WILL NOT be incurred by the CRNP OR the ABN.
     
  3. The fees associated with the cost of obtaining a certificate to prescribe controlled substances will be equal to that of a physician’s assistant in Alabama. Fees are standardized and must be paid by anyone who seeks the certification to prescribe controlled substances.
     
  4. CRNPs are not required to seek certifications to qualify to write prescriptions for controlled substances, it will strictly optional and a personal choice only the CRNP can make. Some collaborating physicians may want their CRNPs to have this certification but it is not a requirement of any CRNP license.

PLEASE CONTACT THE MEMBERS OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE HEALTH COMMITTEES AND LET THEM KNOW YOU SUPPORT BOTH OF THESE BILLS on Monday 2/25 or Tuesday 2/26!!!!

SENATE HEALTH

Committee. Alabama Senate, Alabama State House, Montgomery, AL 36130:

HOUSE HEALTH

Committee Alabama House of Representatives Alabama State House Montgomery, AL 36130

NPAA is fully aware that the bills as introduced are not perfect. However, the leadership of NPAA unanimously believes in and supports small incremental changes that will allow nurse practitioners to chip away at the barriers we now face. Through these efforts, we expect job opportunities will open up for nurse practitioners in Alabama, which will affect the number of providers available for patient care in Alabama, particularly in the rural areas. NPAA is committed to continuing the efforts to break down barriers that limit the ability of advanced practice nurses to practice to the full scope of their education and training and will do so with the IOM Consensus Model for the Future of Nursing as a guide for full expansion of the scope of practice for all advanced practice nurses.

NPAA thanks Senators Reed, Marsh and Waggoner and Representatives Johnson and Wren for their support and for their sponsorship of these important bills that will allow nurse practitioners to improve access to care for patients, particularly in the rural areas. We further encourage the elected officials in Montgomery to continue their efforts to seek legislative changes that will allow all nurses to practice to the fullest extent of their training and education using the IOM Consensus Model as a guide for their decisions related to expanding health care in Alabama. An interdisciplinary/introprofessional approach is the only solution in which enough health care providers will be available to meet the growing health care needs of Alabama now and in the future.